Spike



J. BALMER. SELF CLINGHING SPIKE.

No. 78,354. Patented May 26, 1868,

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JAMES BALMER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW'YORIQ-ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAMGREENLEA-F, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 78,354, tinted May 26, 1368.

IMPROVEMENT IE SELF-ULINGHIN G SPIKES.

TO .ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I,JAMES BALMER, oi the city of Brooklyn, in' the countyof Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in-Seif-Olinching Spikes; and I do hereby, declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which-'- Figure 1 is a side view of the spike.

Figure 2 is a perspective view.

Figure 3 is a. view of one side at right angles to fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a view representing the practical application of the s ike,and showing it in n. clinched condition;

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

This invention consists in a spike having itslower or pointed portionsplit or divided longitudinally into two parts or prongs, which are sobevelled that when the spike is driven into the wood they will be causedto diverge or spread apart: in opposite directions parallel with thesplit-or division, and thus clinch or secure the spike.

To enable those skilled in the art-to understand thennture andconstruction of myinvention, I will proceed to describe it withreference to the drawings.

The head A,-and upper portion, B, of the spike, are of the ordinaryshape andconstruction, but the lower portion is divided longitudinallyinto two parts or prongs, C C. The lower extremity of each of theseprongs O is bevelled to a point, as clearly represented at a a in thedrawings, on the sides which ore transverse to the split or cleft e, thebevel a upon one prong sloping' in a contrary direction to that upon theother prong in such a, way that when the spike is driven into the woodthe two oppositely inclined surfaces a will cause the points of theirrespective prongs to diverge or spread apart in planes parallel with thecleft e, by the resisting action upon the said surfncs of the wdodintowhich the spike is driven, thus clinching or securing the spike, asshown in fig. 4. A split spike, of this construction, secures itselfmore firmly in the wood than. one which spreads transversely to thesplit or cleft, as the split portions, diverging in the direction oftheir greatest thickness, require it greater force to withdraw them.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- A spike split 01' divided longitudinally, and having its splitparts so bevelled or inclined that when driven into the wood, theportions on opposite sides of the split or cleft will diverge inopposite directions parallel with the split or cleft, substantially asherein described.

JAMES BALMER.

Witnesses:

A. Ln OLnRc, J. W. Gooiuns

